Pew: X usage drops; Reddit, TikTok surge
Pew Research Center released new survey data on Nov. 28, 2025 showing U.S. social media habits are fragmenting: YouTube (84%), Facebook (71%) and Instagram (50%) remain most used, while Reddit has grown to 26% of adults (from 18% in 2021) as X’s user share declines. Among under‑30s, 63% use TikTok and roughly half use it daily, 58% are on Snapchat, and WhatsApp usage rose to 32% overall, with higher use among Asian and Hispanic users.
đź“Ś Key Facts
- Sample/methods: 5,022 U.S. adults surveyed Feb. 5–Jun. 18, 2025 via web, mail and phone (Pew Research Center).
- Platform reach: YouTube 84%, Facebook 71%, Instagram 50% among U.S. adults.
- Trend shifts: Reddit usage rose to 26% (from 18% in 2021); X (Twitter) usage declined since 2021.
- Youth trends: 63% of under‑30s use TikTok, roughly half daily; 58% use Snapchat; YouTube remains highest among 18–29 (95%) and 30–49 (92%).
- Other platforms: WhatsApp use increased to 32% overall (23% in 2021), with higher adoption among Asian and Hispanic users; among young people Truth Social 1%, Bluesky 6%, Threads 15%.
đź“Š Relevant Data
In 2025, 45% of White adults use Instagram, compared to 62% of Hispanic adults, 58% of Asian adults, and 54% of Black adults.
Americans’ Social Media Use 2025 — Pew Research Center
In 2025, 24% of Republicans use X, compared to 19% of Democrats, reversing the trend from 2023 when 26% of Democrats and 20% of Republicans used it.
Americans’ Social Media Use 2025 — Pew Research Center
In 2025, 55% of women use Instagram compared to 44% of men.
Americans’ Social Media Use 2025 — Pew Research Center
In 2025, 40% of U.S. adults with a college degree or higher use Reddit, compared to 28% with some college and 15% with high school diploma or less.
Americans’ Social Media Use 2025 — Pew Research Center
TikTok usage among U.S. adults increased from 21% in 2021 to 37% in 2025.
Americans’ Social Media Use 2025 — Pew Research Center
In 2024, 54% of Hispanic adults and 51% of Asian adults used WhatsApp, compared to 31% of Black adults and 20% of White adults.
WhatsApp Use in the U.S. is Rising — LinkedIn
WhatsApp is popular among Hispanic Americans due to its low-cost international communication features, enabling contact with relatives in Latin America.
How WhatsApp Became the Go-to Messaging App for US Latinos — Digital Trends
X usage among 18-29 year olds in the US fell from 42% in 2024 to 33% in 2025.
Twitter Use Has Stagnated Pathetically Under Elon Musk — Futurism
From 2022 to 2025, X is projected to have lost 7 million monthly active users in the US.
Elon Musk's platform projected to lose millions of users in 2025 — Mashable
Increases in misinformation, conspiracy theories, and harassment on X have contributed to its declining usage.
Scientists say Twitter has lost its edge and Bluesky is taking its place — PsyPost
đź“Š Analysis & Commentary (2)
"The piece reads as a City Journal take arguing that shifts in social‑media use (younger voters moving to Reddit/TikTok as X declines) are producing a 'new electorate' that will force parties and institutions to change how they persuade and mobilize voters, with risks of fragmentation and intensified niche politics."
"An argument that platform‑driven influencer economics—illustrated by declines in X and growth of TikTok/Reddit—has shifted incentives away from deep writing, so serious writers must adapt business and promotional strategies while defending the cultural importance of longform work."